Is dragon fruit the fruit of a cactus? What is the difference between the two
Dragon fruit is a very nutritious fruit, and many friends love to eat it. In some regions now, dragon fruit farms let everyone pick and eat it fresh on the spot. Some friends who see a dragon fruit plant are surprised to find that dragon fruit seems to grow on the cacti we commonly see. So is dragon fruit really the fruit of a cactus? Today the editor will reveal the answer to this question!
It is now the season when dragon fruit ripens. While eating dragon fruit, one cannot help but ask, whose fruit is dragon fruit? The editor looked it up online, and a friend asked whether dragon fruit is the fruit of a cactus. That answer is very strange. Is dragon fruit really the fruit of a cactus? The editor even saw pictures like this. Could dragon fruit really be the fruit of a cactus? Did our own eyes deceive us?
Dragon fruit, also known in English by the names green dragon fruit and red dragon fruit. It originated in the tropics of Central America. Dragon fruit is rich in nutrients and has unique functions. It contains plant albumin and anthocyanins, which are rare in ordinary plants, as well as abundant vitamins and water-soluble dietary fiber. The dragon fruit plant is a member of the genus Hylocereus in the cactus family. It originated in Brazil and Mexico, later entered Taiwan, China, and after improvement entered the coastal areas of the mainland for planting. Dragon fruit gets its name because its fleshy outer scales resemble the outer scales of a dragon, and it is also called the "auspicious fruit."
Cactus is a family belonging to the desert plants of the order Caryophyllales, and it is the national flower of Mexico. To adapt to the arid desert climate, its leaves evolved into small spines, mainly to reduce water evaporation, and it also counts as a kind of self-defense equipment. The stem evolved into a thick, water-containing form, and the root system covers a large area, making it easy to absorb water and nutrients. At present, there are nearly 2000 species of plants in the cactus family.
After reading the editor's introduction, everyone should have some understanding of the confusing relationship between the two! The two are not in a "father-son" relationship; they are only close relatives, merely belonging to the same cactus family. That is the introduction to dragon fruit and cactus!